A Satellite Deployed a Drag Sail and Removed Itself from Orbit Five Years Early→

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A Satellite Deployed a Drag Sail and Removed Itself from Orbit Five Years Early

In an age of increasing “stuff” orbiting Earth one big concern is what happens if one satellite hits another. The result could be an explosion, or a chain reaction of collisions, or the closure of an orbit. That would be catastrophic. However, a small satellite called SBUDNIC just sent itself back to Earth earlier than expected. It’s goal: to demonstrate a low-cost way to take care of space debris.

SBUDNIC was the brainchild of a group of students at Brown University who were in a “Design of Space Systems” class taught by engineering Professor Rick Fleeter. It was a 3U CubeSat made of off-the-shelf components (including 48 Energizer batteries), a small camera, and a plastic drag sail. It joins a host of other CubeSats used (or proposed for use) at Earth and throughout the Solar System.

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Switching off 3G and 2G networks: advice for IoT and third-party device suppliers - Ofcom

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The plan is to remove 3G coverage across the UK by the end of 2024 and 2G by 2033.

In Germany, 3G went about 18 months - 2 years ago but the statement is that here 2G stays until the stats says no one is using it any more. Given that automated security devices rely on 2G, the chances are 2G will never go away here. All 3G phone fall back to 2G operation meaning calls and SMS are possible but forget any reasonable Internet data connection.

The 5G Cells equipment supports 4G as well. Indeed to bring in 5G into Germany, the existing 4G equipment was software upgraded from what I understand. Here one reason to close down 3G was to re-use the frequencies for 5G. I suspect there is the same reasoning in the UK.

Ofcom - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for-industry/policy/2g-and-3g-switch-off/advice-for-iot-and-third-party-device-suppliers

Radio Connects US Missile Silos for First Time Since 1960s

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Radio Connects US Missile Silos for First Time Since 1960s

Two United States missile silos have made radio contact with one another for the first time since the 1960s. This time, however, it was a contact between civilian.

The Atlas F Missile silo in Plattsburgh, New York, possessed the kind of military readiness in the 1960s that reflected an American nation poised for war. Among those sites decommissioned by the US military in 1965, one silo within a mile of the border with Canada showed a different kind of readiness on the 19th of August. On that day, the activation was for an amateur radio contact. Despite difficult band conditions, a successful QSO was logged - and it was with another deactivated missile silo, this one in Texas.

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